Dr. Kirk Calhoun Wins Doc Ballard Award

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District has named Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, President, UT Health Northeast, as the 2013 winner of the W. T. “Doc” Ballard Award for Excellence in Public Health. He was recognized for his commitment to improving public health, addressing health disparities, and advocating for public health at the local, state, and national levels.

According to the health district’s announcement, For more than 30 years Dr. Calhoun has served as a physician, educator, researcher, and administrator. As President of UT Health Northeast since 2002, Dr. Calhoun understands that quality of life is directly related to the health of our population and he knows the public health importance of access to care. In an era of nationwide provider shortages, 80% of the family medicine physicians trained at UT Health Northeast remain in Texas, and the majority stay in our community. This is a testament to Dr. Calhoun’s focus on improving the health of our community through improved access to care.

The “Doc” Ballard Award is the District’s highest accolade for outstanding service contributing significantly to the enhancement of public health. Doc Ballard, a registered professional engineer for the Texas Department of Health and mentor to NET Health, was a leader in protecting the health of the public. His expertise and administrative skills ensured the environmental controls crucial to the quality and safety of public drinking water and public food service; the proper disposal of wastewater and solid waste; and the monitoring of radiation.